Bottleworks XII - The Bruery

jampics2

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Review #750. I want to thank all the big and little beers who got me this far!

Speaking of the big seven-five-oh, Bottleworks XII was a 750ml bottle served in a goblet by the fine folks at Brouwers Cafe. $25 and well worth the trip!

An orange colored beer with hints of pink sits on the bar in front of me. I'm distracted by the architecture of this beer cave, but snap back to it just in time to see the nice white head start to subside. The head leaves a touch of lace as it descents, but the constant stream of bubbles rising in the cloudy liquid replenishes it for the majority of the session.

The smell is intense and slightly off-putting for someone who doesn't love dirty sour beers (or lacto intensive beers like a Berliner Weiss). There's a decent amount of sulfur and diaper smells, but there's so much more. Lurking below those strong scents are some layers of raspberries, coriander, lemons and red wine.

As I gaze around me, sitting here in Seattle at perhaps the best beer bar in the world, I feel lucky. Not in a Clint Eastwood way, but I feel like sometimes a great beer can make you feel like you're at home even when you're thousands of miles away. I feel lucky that establishments like this exist and that legendary, world-class beers like this one are there to enjoy.

Speaking of which, I'm ready to enjoy this one! After the first sip, my mouth can't help but smile. This is really, really good. Huge lacto funk greets my tongue, giving impressions of lemons and horsehair. Some raspberry flavors are present too, but this doesn’t scream fruit beer. Coriander and spice help the tartness seem more grounded and earthy. Then, the barrel hits and red wine and oak notes close out a wonderful palate. No alcohol is noticeable. This is an advanced course beer, but one that has so much depth and rewarding flavors. As I enjoy the glass, bullshit with the bartenders and soak in the majesty of Brouwers, I smile and sip, and smile and sip.

The body is great - it's a bit denser than expected from a "witbier", but it works. The carbonation is on the high/sparkling end of things, but that's OK. Overall, this beer lived up to the hype. If you're sensitive to sulfur or dirty sour smells, you may not be able to get past that, but bear with it, trust me, it's worth it!

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2011 13:26:19 | More by jampics2

Photekut

Azerbaijan

4.25/5  rDev -5.3%

05-19-2013 01:40:55 | More by Photekut

beernads

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +0.2%

05-17-2013 08:02:45 | More by beernads

pmarlowe

California

4.25/5  rDev -5.3%

05-05-2013 21:45:21 | More by pmarlowe

distantmantra

Washington

4.5/5  rDev +0.2%

04-26-2013 18:38:48 | More by distantmantra

GrumpyOldTroll

New Jersey

4.75/5  rDev +5.8%

03-23-2013 01:43:11 | More by GrumpyOldTroll

AlexFields

Tennessee

3.95/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Opened at TN whales tasting 3/16/2013. Thanks to CurtisMcArthur for sharing.

Pours a very light yellow gold color topped with a nice white head, from the appearance you'd have no idea there were raspberries in this.

Smells of bread, brett, and some faint berry fruit. Really not much fruit in this though.

Taste is tart in an unusual way, fairly wheaty/bready, touch of faded raspberry, there's an oddness to the flavor I can't quite place. Pretty light.

This is very good but not spectacular. I don't know if there wasn't much fruit to begin with or if it's just really faded after two years, but I was expecting a lot more fruit and a bit more sourness.

7.9/10

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 15:13:07 | More by AlexFields

mdaschaf

Washington

4.45/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at Bottleworks.

A: Pours a hazy peach color with a 1.5 finger white head on top, great head retention and lacing

S: Nice tart/sour aroma. Some wheat a little bit of raspberry and a bit of rhubarb. Extremely inviting.

T: Great level of tartness mixed with raspberries, the acidity is spot on. Light funk, oak, and some wheat.

M: Light to medium bodied, easy drinking. Crisp mouthfeel.

O: A fantastic AWA, glad it was still on tap when I got over to BW.

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2013 20:15:01 | More by mdaschaf

JAHMUR

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +0.2%

03-10-2013 01:19:59 | More by JAHMUR

adkieffer

Washington

4.75/5  rDev +5.8%

03-09-2013 21:39:32 | More by adkieffer

t0rin0

California

4.25/5  rDev -5.3%

03-01-2013 15:23:04 | More by t0rin0

draheim

Washington

4.41/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

On tap into a snifter @ the Bottleworks 14th anniversary event (also had it @ the 12th anniversary). Pours a clear golden orange w/ a big white head sustained by vigorous carbonation.

Aroma is sour, vinous, funky, dry. Intriguing.

Taste is tart, oaky, acidic balanced by sweet berries/fruit. Soft wheat malt. Both complex and straightforward. Reminds me somewhat of Sanctification. And Sweet Tarts.

Mouthfeel is crisp, refreshing, ultra-dry finish.

Overall a surprising, tasty, unique beer. Glad I had another chance to try this one.

Serving type: on-tap

02-26-2013 08:07:10 | More by draheim

strongaf

Washington

4.5/5  rDev +0.2%

02-26-2013 04:49:10 | More by strongaf

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +0.2%

02-25-2013 19:33:35 | More by Rutager

sweemzander

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

750mL bottle poured into a tulip. Another huge thanks to Kevan for sharing!

(A)- Pours a hazy golden apricot orange color. Some good white froth that dissipated quickly. Some lacing left behind.

(S)- Very vibrant and fresh tart raspberry and red wine nuances combined with some subtle spicy oak and wheat. Quite clean where I was expecting more funk, but I like how clean it is, though that starts to change as it opens up in the glass.

(T)- Very nice showing of the wine barrel and raspberries in this. Fairly clean with the slightly increasing funk as it opens up. The tartness is right at the right level, and everything really just meshes together well.

(M)- A nicely crisp carbonation level. Very vibrant fruits and a clean acidity overall.

(O)- It is really nice how clean this is despite its level of acidity and showing of oak it has. Its almost weird based on its color, yet is has so many notes of the red wine and raspberry. Very nicely done!

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 18:42:42 | More by sweemzander

kevanb

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle poured into a Bruery Tulip

The beer pours a lovely hazy gold color, hints of straw and honey colors, clear complexion, a few bubbles rising to the top of the glass with a 2 finger, soapy white head that has fair retention with no lacing. The aroma is quite intriguing, hay, straw, wheat, typical berliner funk, a touch of salt, prominent vinous barrel character with just a light touch of prickly raspberry. The flavors are just wonderful, nice wit character with the wheat and lemon, just a touch of funk, a nice salty character with nice red wine character, chewy oak with sweet vanilla with just enough lingering raspberry. The balance between Wit characteristics and Berliner characteristics is stunning, and the barrel aging adds such a nice complexity and the tart raspberry really helps to meld it all together in a spectacular fashion. The body is great, lively, light, yet full bodied, coats the mouth well, dances on the tongue and finishes so smoothly.

Verdict: A wonderful Wild Ale, all of the base elements are so nicely captured and the harmony between them is superb. The flavors are complex, balanced and executed to perfection, a must try for anyone who loves a good sour beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 01:05:02 | More by kevanb

BeRanger

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev +0.2%

02-12-2013 21:25:26 | More by BeRanger

Azrael

3.5/5  rDev -22%

02-09-2013 06:05:56 | More by Azrael

popery

California

4.25/5  rDev -5.3%

01-28-2013 03:58:40 | More by popery

libbey

Washington

4.75/5  rDev +5.8%

01-27-2013 10:09:07 | More by libbey

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev -5.3%

01-26-2013 20:34:43 | More by mothman

jbuddle

New York

4/5  rDev -10.9%

01-22-2013 21:44:32 | More by jbuddle

fatmcb1

Texas

4.68/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From notes, served on tap at the Bruery Barrel Night 2012.

Lighter yellow with a thin white ring of head that sticks around.

Raspberry, sour lemon, funk, and slight apricot.

More tart than sour. Raspberries come through very strong. A bit acetic and citrusy.

Slightly over carbed, but not very out of line for the style.

This was one of my highlights from the barrel night. This is an exceptional wild ale.

Serving type: on-tap

01-12-2013 06:58:27 | More by fatmcb1

Rckmo10

California

4.5/5  rDev +0.2%

12-15-2012 16:45:28 | More by Rckmo10

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.23/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks goes out to beeruser for sharing this one on the One Year Anniversary of My Accident/Surgery! Served from bottle into a Mikkeller taster flute. Poured a slightly hazy pale golden yellow with a three finger white head that subsided to a minimal amount quickly. Maintained decent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, funk, wheat, fruit, subtle sour, and raspberry. The flavor was of sweet malt, funk, fruit, tart, sour, and raspberry. It had a light feel on the palate with high carbonation. Overall this was a pretty good brew. This one had quite a bit of really nice things going on in it. The aroma was a bit more complex than the flavor, however the flavor was quite a bit more pleasant. Everything going on in the flavor here was really nice and when there was one note, another followed close behind that worked in unison to help you get through the sour/tart mashing on your palate. This was a really well put together brew that I’m really quite glad I got the opportunity to try!

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 11:44:19 | More by thagr81us